The US Embassy in Ottawa dropped an unsigned fact sheet on Wednesday, formally accusing Canadian ministers and provincial premiers of plotting to influence American politics ahead of the November midterms. The document specifically named Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, and Liberal MP Anthony Housefather, alleging they coordinated efforts to pressure US voters through trade retaliation and direct lobbying. It isn’t just standard diplomatic sparring; the embassy cited specific meetings with Democratic leaders and calls for tariffs targeting states pivotal to President Donald Trump’s political base.
Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the charges outright during a press conference where he unveiled a C$9 billion aid package for businesses hit by US tariffs. "We've responded to those to protect Canadian jobs, to protect Canadian companies and develop our economy," Carney said, framing the trade measures as defensive rather than political. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, standing beside him, added that he had "no interest at all" in meddling in US elections, arguing that American voters simply want stability and certainty from their leaders.
The embassy’s allegations dig into specific actions from August, when Joly stated that retaliatory tariffs were designed partly to exert political pressure on Washington. She also referenced her meetings with US governors and potential presidential candidates, a detail the embassy used to argue Canada was actively campaigning against Trump’s agenda. The document further claimed Canada was the second-largest source of foreign nationals prosecuted in the US for fraudulent voting, citing figures from the Department of Justice, though it did not specify the exact number of cases.
Tensions have spiked since White House adviser Peter Navarro warned Canadians to stay out of US politics, telling lobbyists on K Street to "get the hell out of our country." Carney has pushed back by advocating for reduced economic dependence on the US, joking at a rally in Calgary that Washington might even interpret his domestic economic warnings as interference. The November midterms will determine control of the US Congress, potentially shaping the administration’s ability to enforce further trade penalties. A petition demanding the removal of US Ambassador Pete Hoekstra over the diplomatic fallout is currently gaining traction in Ottawa.